New Hampshire Rate Review Grant Award List

Cycle I Grant Application Summary

New Hampshire Grantee: New Hampshire Insurance Department

Award Date: August 16, 2010

Award Amount: $1,000,000

• Improve the Review Process: Currently, New Hampshire has prior approval authority over all individual and small group market major medical products. The State will improve its existing filing requirements by collecting additional information such as administrative costs, overall carrier finances and historical data to determine the reasonableness of proposed rate increases. New Hampshire may use data from improved filings to retrospectively review health insurance premiums.
• Increase Transparency and Accessibility: New Hampshire currently provides access to health insurance premiums filings upon request at its office. The State will create a web portal that allows consumer access to rate filing information and provides plain language summaries that explain changes in premiums, identify why premiums changed, and the actuarial value of coverage.
• Develop and Upgrade Technology: New Hampshire will upgrade systems to improve efficiency and streamline data sharing.

Cycle II Grant Application Summary

New Hampshire Grantee: New Hampshire Insurance Department

Total Award: $3,564,938

Baseline Award: $3,000,000

Performance Award Amount: $564,938

• Expand scope of rate review: New Hampshire will study market shifts and will respond in regulation as necessary.
• Improve rate filing requirements: New Hampshire will require carriers to submit additional information including reporting and administrative expenses. New Hampshire will also propose to expand claims information collection so that data can be used in the rate review process.
• Improve transparency and consumer interfaces: Recent State law requires an annual public hearing to discuss rates and factors, and also permits the Commissioner to require carriers to produce information for the hearings. New Hampshire will set up a website for access to rate filings and summaries with comment capability and overview of the general rate review process. New Hampshire also plans on holding stakeholder meetings and producing informational materials on the rate review process.
• Hire new staff: New Hampshire will create 2 new positions from the Cycle II grant funding.
• Improve IT: New Hampshire will also develop data systems to compare different data sets and will create a model to predict the migration of insured individuals between different markets and plans. The Insurance Department will work with other partners to evaluate current systems and increase data exchange capabilities.

Cycle III Grant Application Summary

New Hampshire Grantee: New Hampshire Insurance Department

Award Date: September 23, 2013

Total Award: $ 3,020,248

Baseline Award: $2,000,000

Performance Award Amount: $400,000

Workload Award Amount: $620,248

• Improve Rate Review Transparency: New Hampshire will design and implement a new rate review communication and outreach plan, including the publication of a “Consumer Guide to Rate Review”. As part of the state’s communication plan, New Hampshire plans to develop consumer-friendly content for their rate review website. In addition, New Hampshire plans to contract with a consumer advocacy organization to engage consumers in the rate review process.
• Enhance Data Center: In order to provide a comprehensive overview of medical pricing practices, New Hampshire proposed to further develop the state’s All Payer Claims Database. New Hampshire plans to integrate Medicaid and Medicare data with commercial insurance data. In addition, New Hampshire will improve the quality and completeness of currently collected data.
• Enhance Health Pricing Transparency: Currently, New Hampshire displays the prices for common medical procedures on the HealthCost website. Using Cycle III funds, New Hampshire plans to enhance this website by: 1) developing new consumer, employer, provider, and insurance company specific sections of the website; 2) enhancing the website’s services for uninsured individuals; 3) developing new applications for mobile devices; 4) publishing data on prescription drug prices; and 5) developing an online user feedback system.

Cycle IV Grant Application Summary

New Hampshire Grantee: State of New Hampshire Insurance Department
Award Date: September 19, 2014
Total Award: $1,179,000

• Expand Scope of Rate Review: New Hampshire plans to improve the ability to review rate filings in relation to the market as a whole in two ways:
  • By updating and improving the rate filing template, user guide, and the database used to track and compare filings over time and among carriers
  • By updating and expanding the market models to better understand current and future shifts among insurance market segments, changes in premiums, and benefit designs
• Improve the Quality/Efficiency of Rate Review: New Hampshire plans to ensure that the rates filed and approved are the actual rates implemented in the market by developing an enhanced market conduct examination process that tests, by underwriting review, the actual premiums invoiced match the approved rates filed and to confirm that rates submitted are the actual rates implemented in the market.
• Data Dissemination and Transparency: New Hampshire plans to improve data dissemination and transparency through the Data Center website by:
  • Enhancing the health care cost and pricing information available to the public through the website
  • Improving functionality and the user experience
  • Enhancing and expanding the health care quality information available to the public through the website
  • Developing enhanced information on provider specific health care quality
  • Adding additional data sources and analysis and pricing information

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